When I was in college, back in the Stone Age, the coolest guys on campus always seemed to gravitate to girls who belonged to sororities.

That still may be the case.

But let’s make it real: On a Saturday afternoon in mid-September, the women of Epsilon Nu Omega, an alumnae chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, had a luncheon at the Marriott City Center to celebrate the accomplishments of 13 exceptional Colorado men. Twelve were honored as M.O.D.E.L. (Men of Distinction, Excellence and Leadership) citizens; a 13th, former gang member Terrance Roberts, was recognized for starting The Prodigal Son Initiative, a nonprofit organization that builds community by offering programs and opportunities for young people living in one of Denver’s most underserved neighborhoods.

Seven hundred people were at the event chaired by Barbara Johnson and Erin Brown and emceed by TaRhonda Thomas of 9News to pay tribute to Wiley Daniel, Colorado’s first African- American federal judge; Gary Wilson, the first African-American to serve as director of corrections and undersheriff for the Denver Sheriff’s Department; and wildlife biologist Scott Gilmore.

They also applauded fellow M.O.D.E.L.s Ryan Ross, dean of students and retention at the Community College of Denver and one of the Denver Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40; Elvin Caldwell Jr., owner and president of Caldwell-Kirk Mortuary and member of the Junior Achievement and YMCA boards of directors; Gregory L. Moore, editor of The Denver Post; William “Bo” Matthews, a former player in the National Football League and founder/CEO of the Bo Matthews Center for Excllence; the Rev. Frank Davis, pastor of Zion Baptist Church and a founder of 62 churches in Africa; Dr. Johnny Johnson, an obstetrician/gynecologist who has delivered more than 15,000 babies; K.C. Matthews, traffic standards and specifications manager for the Colorado Department of Transportation and a member of the Blacks in Colorado Hall of Fame; David Reed, an auto broker and co-founder of East Ridge Elementary School’s Brotherhood program; and Richard Lewis, the founder, president and CEO of RTL Networks and a 9News Business Leader of the Year.

In addition to being feted at the luncheon, the 12 M.O.D.E.L.s also are pictured in a 2012 calendar, wearing clothes from the Larimer Square men’s boutique Moda, that can be purchased by visiting the chapter website. Moda also furnished the suits that the honorees wore to the luncheon.

Proceeds from both the luncheon and the calendar sales go toward college scholarships that Epsilon Nu Omega awards to outstanding African-American girls.

Epsilon Nu Omega chapter was chartered on Oct. 22, 1949, and is the first graduate chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority to be established in Colorado. It has 120 members, 20 of whom have belonged to AKA for over 50 years. One of them, 98-year-old Marie Greenwood, is a 75-year member and was one of those attending the luncheon.

Gray grew up in poverty on the south side of Chicago and made his first $1 million when he was just 14. Today he is known throughout the world as a philanthropist, best-selling author, syndicated columnist, motivational speaker and CEO of Farrah Gray Publishing.

Study after study has shown that when it comes to charitable fundraisers, Denver has more per capita than any comparably sized city in the nation. Joanne Davidson has been covering them for The Denver Post since 1985, coming here from her native California where she'd spent the previous seven years as San Francisco bureau chief for U.S. News & World Report magazine.